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Guide and hunter can become good friends

In their 44 years of operating a guide and outfitting business, Dick and Norma Pennington and their son, Alan, saw every type of hunter you might imagine, from the rich and famous (Country Music Hall of Fame member Loretta Lynn was a client) to the normal Joe who had saved for years to go on a hunt.

Here are Norma’s thoughts (edited) on matching a hunter with guide and guide with a hunter:

When a hunter picks a guide, he can obtain plenty of information about him.

Check with hunters he has taken, those who got their game and those who didn’t.

A reputable guide has to be licensed and bonded in Colorado, so you can call Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Colorado Outfitters Association.

When you finally pick a guide, talk to him, so you can size each other up. Find out what the hunt involves, any hidden charges, reservation costs, does he give a refund, etc.

Be prepared to get out and hunt, isn’t that what this is all about?

When a guide books a hunter, there’s many ways to check up on him, so you hope he won’t be a boozer, or careless enough to shoot someone, or expect the Hilton after he is told he will rough it.

You hope his physical condition will at least get him to the outhouse and back, even though he has been told he should in good physical condition.

Hopefully he does not expect to be waited on and he isn’t a chronic complainer or troublemaker or a blowhard.

Or maybe he’s like 95 percent of the hunters we get: a heck of a nice guy to have around and one who before the week is out becomes a good friend.